Customer Reviews

Alan Freed's Rock Rock Rock

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There is a story line in this movie as thin as an atoms' skin, and Tuesday Weld sings with a dub by a young Connie Frances..doesn't match her face!........BUT, rare treats like Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers performing back to back hits "Baby Baby" and " I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquint" are priceless to say the least and special appearences by Chuck Berry, the Moonglows and the killer title track rocks rocks rocks!!!

this is a huge bargain for lovers of 50s rock. the dvd has classic performances(lip-synched)by Laverne Baker, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Chuck Berry but the cd is full of treasures(early Buddy Holly, Elvis, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent) plus performances from groups and singers never heard from again. This is a nobrainer; dont expect the dvd to look like 2009 video; it looks like something taken off a kinescope recording but who cares!

ROCK, ROCK, ROCK (1956) has a simple plot: 13-year-old Tuesday Weld tries earning enough to buy a dress for the high school dance. Her innocent puppy love tale is punctuated with a couple of tunes. Tuesday supposedly performs "I Never Had A Sweetheart" and "Little Blue Wren," but the singer is actually a pre-fame Connie Francis.

Weld's movie boyfriend, Paul Carr provides his own vocals on "If Not For You," and Tuesday/Connie duets with him for "Who Are We To Say."

All of the above is just an excuse to showcase performances by 50s greats and now-forgottens. Songs heard include:

Ever Since I Can Remember - Cirino & the Bowties
Tra La La - La Vern Baker & The Gliders
You Can't Catch Me - Chuck Berry
I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent/Baby, Baby - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
Big Beat/Rock, Rock, Rock - Jimmy Cavallo & the House Rockers
I Knew From The Start/Over and Over Again - The Moonglows
Lonesome Train - Johnny Burnette Trio
Would I Be Crying? - The Flamingos
Right Now - Alan Freed & his R&R Band w/Big Al Sears

The terminally geeky "Moondog" DJ, Alan Freed was an early champion of rock and roll who worked for desegregation by presenting black artists to white audiences. A 1959 "payola" conviction derailed Freed's career and he died penniless in 1965 at age 42.


Related item:
For a 1956 'Moondog' double-feature, check out: DON'T KNOCK THE ROCK / ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK. Performers that Freed presents include Bill Haley's Comets, Little Richard, the Platters, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Clyde McPhatter, Chuck Berry, Brook Benton, and more!

First of all, the studio that transferred this film to DVD is a subsidiary of Cleopatra. The studio is called "Goldenlane Records / Sonic Mastering", and they are printed on the back cover; not Cleopatra. Secondly, it is a very, very poor transfer. They even have the audacity to say it has been digitally re-masted with enhanced stereo soundtrack. This is just baloney! After watching this for some minutes, I started to wonder if they had used an old VHS tape to transfer the video to DVD. Also, there are "NO" chapters included on the DVD from this studio. That is how cheap this production was.

This film now must be in the public domain. There are about 12 studios out there distributing it on DVD. Surely one of them must have a decent transfer?

If you don't know the synopsis of this film, then please read them, and the reviews, from other listings of this title at Amazon UK and US. The film was done on a shoe-string-budget back in 1956, and the plot is pretty week, acting just as bad, but there is rare and great footage of well-known Doo Wop and Rock 'n' Roll artists from the mid 1950's.